De Hoop Pekso nominated for the 2026 Zeeland Innovation Award Emergo with HOUTON floor system

15 July 2026

Our subsidiary De Hoop Pekso has been nominated for the 2026 Zeeland Innovation Award Emergo with its innovative HOUTON floor system. On 14 July 2026, Provincial Executive member Johan Aalberts announced the five nominees for this prestigious innovation award.

The HOUTON floor is a hybrid structural floor system in which timber and concrete work together structurally. The system was developed with the ambition of making construction more sustainable, without compromising the floor’s structural performance or building-physics properties. By intelligently combining the properties of timber and concrete, the use of steel and concrete can be reduced. The timber takes over the function of traditional reinforcement, resulting in lower material consumption and contributing to reduced CO₂ emissions. The floor also offers flexibility when installing building services. The HOUTON system has been under intensive development for the past two and a half years. During this period, the concept has been further engineered, tested and prepared for practical application. Preparations are currently under way for the first pilot project. The market response has already been very positive. According to De Hoop Pekso, this confirms that there is a need for construction solutions that combine sustainability, technical performance and practical applicability.

“We are proud of this nomination. It is a wonderful recognition of the work that our colleagues and partners have carried out together over the past two and a half years. With the HOUTON floor, we are demonstrating that smarter, more sustainable construction can go hand in hand with quality, flexibility and strong performance. The positive response from the market also gives us great confidence.”

Zeeland Innovation Award Emergo

The Zeeland Innovation Award Emergo is presented annually to a company whose distinctive innovation contributes to the economic development of Zeeland. The nominees are assessed on criteria including their capacity for innovation, economic impact, social value and practical applicability. The winner will be announced on Tuesday 3 November during Contacta in Goes. In addition to the jury award, there will also be a public vote. Further information about the voting procedure will follow after the summer.

We congratulate all colleagues and partners who contributed to the development of HOUTON on this special nomination.